| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 75.01 |
| Liaison | Jen Crothers |
| Submission Date | Aug. 4, 2015 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
University of British Columbia
OP-2: Outdoor Air Quality
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.00 / 1.00 |
Noga
Levit Senior Advisor (Environment & Chemical Safety) Risk Management Services |
Does the institution have policies and/or guidelines in place to improve outdoor air quality and minimize air pollutant emissions from mobile sources?:
A brief description of the policies and/or guidelines to improve outdoor air quality and minimize air pollutant emissions from mobile sources:
The only applicable regulatory requirement relevant to mobile sources at UBC is the BC Ozone Depleting Substances And Other Halocarbon Regulations sections related to vehicle refrigeration systems. UBC fully complies with these requirements which are:
• Covered by University specific procedures
• Verified and reinforced through environmental audits
• Ensured through training and certification of responsible personnel
UBC has also included Metro Vancouver Non-Road Diesel Engine Emission Regulations bylaw in its Air Quality Management Procedure, and relevant responsible persons are alerted and trained to identify such equipment and verify compliance when relevant.
UBC’s Building Operations fleet, which operates 240 vehicles or approximately half the campus fleet, received Canada’s first E3 Platinum Certification in 2014 for sustainable fleet management. As part of the certification process, The UBC Anti-Idling policy was formally approved and distributed in 2012. This policy’s purpose is to protect public health and improve the environment by reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and urban noise while conserving fuel. The policy states that an operator of a motor vehicle must not leave engine idling for longer than three consecutive minutes in a sixty minute period. Further, an operator of a motor vehicle must not leave engine idling while vehicle is unattended and unlocked.
In the context of the E3 program, an idling baseline was completed for calendar year 2012. The results approximated that idling wastes 35,611L of fuel each year, equivalent to 43 tons of GHG emissions. UBC Building Operations’ target is to achieve a 15% reduction in idling occurrences by 2015; this will be accomplished through a combination of training, monitoring and enforcement of the policy. Between 2011 and 2013, Building Operations cut GHG emissions in its’ fleet by 217 tonnes, or 25%, and increased average fuel efficiency by 16%, achieved through initiatives such as replacing vehicles with more fuel efficient units, exploring alternative fuels, anti-idling policy, and fuel efficient driver training. More information on fleet initiatives is available online at: http://www.buildingoperations.ubc.ca/sustainability/fleet/.
Has the institution completed an inventory of significant air emissions from stationary sources on campus?:
A brief description of the methodology(ies) the institution used to complete its air emissions inventory:
UBC submits annual reports through the Environment Canada National Pollutant Report Inventory (NPRI) on several Criteria Air Contaminants of two stationary sources: a) UBC Power House boilers using natural gas and b) UBC Bioenergy Research and Demonstration Facility (BRDF), fueled by biomass, which creates synthesis (syn) gas that is then burned to produce steam and used to generate electricity.
The BRDF is also controlled by air quality permits issued by Metro Vancouver. Engineering calculations based on monthly natural gas consumption are used to complete emissions inventory of the Power House boilers. Emissions monitoring in conjunction with engineering calculations are used to determine the emissions inventory of the BRDF.
Weight of the following categories of air emissions from stationary sources::
| Weight of Emissions | |
| Nitrogen oxides (NOx) | 60.63 Tons |
| Sulfur oxides (SOx) | 3.63 Tons |
| Carbon monoxide (CO) | 34.50 Tons |
| Particulate matter (PM) | 1.70 Tons |
| Ozone (O3) | --- |
| Lead (Pb) | --- |
| Hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) | --- |
| Ozone-depleting compounds (ODCs) | --- |
| Other standard categories of air emissions identified in permits and/or regulations | 2.92 Tons |
A brief description of the institution’s initiatives to minimize air pollutant emissions from stationary sources, including efforts made during the previous three years:
Routine maintenance and detailed operating procedures are in place at both the Power House and BRDF and responsible persons receive relevant Environmental Management training.
For stationary refrigeration units, the BC Ozone Depleting Substances And Other Halocarbon Regulations are followed:
• Institution specific procedures are in place
• Detailed requirements for service contractors were developed and implemented
• Requirements are verified and reinforced through environmental audits
UBC is currently converting its aging steam system to hot water and replacing its 1960’s era boilers with modern day hot water boilers. Improved efficiency from this project alone is expected to save 24% of the natural gas currently consumed by the existing Power House, approximately 240,000 GJ/yr of natural gas. The new boilers will also meet more stringent ultra-low NOx air emissions standards.
UBC also developed a unique standardized assessment and mitigation protocol to allow for risk assessment, upgrade of emission controls, and re-evaluation to demonstrate risk mitigation for design standards of residential buildings located near research buildings to ensure higher air quality controls and measures are in place.
The website URL where information about the institution’s outdoor air quality policies, guidelines or inventory is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.